Our Strength and Weakness
by Scribbles97
Summary: An ongoing fic focussing more on the family side of International Rescue and what's in store for the next generation of rescuers.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Scott laughed as he leant on the bar, "Don't be ridiculous, Kal, you of all people should know there's only one woman in my life."

His old friend from the air force smirked and nodded past Scott's shoulder, "Aye, and she's right behind you."

Not certain if his friend was teasing or not, Scott glanced over his shoulder, his smile widening as the woman in question stepped up to him.

"Jen!" He exclaimed, going to hug her but hesitating when she pushed him back. His smile faded and over the music of the party he heard his friends voices fading as they shuffled away. He frowned and shook his head, "I thought you were working over the New Year, that your squad were being dep-"

"Are you sober?" She asked, glancing around hesitantly. Scott noticed her eyes land on the dancefloor where the majority of the guests were dancing out the last few minutes of the year.

"I've not drunk all night," He confirmed, "I'm on call."

Jenny smiled to him and hailed the barman, "One scotch, and an orange juice please?"

Scott looked back to her, "Jen?"

She swallowed and looked up to him, knowing that he knew something was up. It wasn't quite time yet though, she had to wait just a few more minutes.

"Are the others here?" She blurted, "You said on the phone-"

Scott nodded to her, his hand reaching out to hold her waist, "Yeah, we're all here. Kayo's with John, Gords with Penny, Alan and Virgil are probably moping somewhere."

She smirked, shaking her head, "Last I saw, Virgil was making out with that blonde girl from his birthday."

She glanced up as Scott shook his head with a smile, "Should'da known he'd be next."

She smiled as he looked out to the dance floor, "I'd be surprised if any of them, except perhaps John, didn't want a big family."

"I can see that island of yours getting pretty crowded," Jenny uttered under her breath as two glasses were set down on the bar next to her.

"On my tab please." Scott told the barman, winking to Jenny as she reached for her purse. She smiled to him in thanks and took the orange juice, earning a frown from Scott, "I thought…"

"Can we take these somewhere quieter?" She asked, taking his hand in hers.

Without hesitating, Scott nodded, gently pulling her through the crowds of the Tracy Industries New Year party, to a quiet hallway of the hotel where he had last seen Gordon and Penelope on one of the sofa's. He gestured for Jenny to take a seat, sipping the scotch as he sat facing her, "Is everything alright Jen?"

She sighed, just a minute until midnight, "I'm here because I was forced to go on leave."

Scott sat straighter, she could see his eyes darting all over her looking for where she was hurt. When he found nothing, he frowned, "Why?"

Taking a last sip of her juice, Jenny reached back to set the glass down on the side table, "Nothing bad," She started, watching carefully as Scott finished his drink and also set his glass down. Taking a breath as the first strike of midnight rang out, she took his hands and smiled, praying he would take the news as she hoped, "Scott, I'm pregnant."


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"And that was the first sentence I heard that year." Scott smiled as he pulled the pink duvet up, kissing his daughters hair, "Okay?"

"Okay." She yawned with a smile, "Night, night Daddy."

Scott sighed as he stood up, "Good night Lucy." He turned to the second bed, "You can pick the story tomorrow Luke."

"'Kay Dad." The young boy mumbled as Scott ruffled his hair, "Night night."

"Good night son." Scott smiled as he switched on the night light and slid the door shut.

Scott headed back to the main lounge, smiling when he heard footsteps approach from the hall ahead of him.

"All asleep?" Scott smiled at he met Virgil and Gordon.

Virgil smiled and nodded, glancing to Gordon's exhausted features, "Eventually."

"If Penny ever suggests having another baby," He shook his head, "Help me to persuade her not to."

The two older brothers laughed, each slinging an arm over the younger's shoulders. Scott shook his head as he ruffled Gordon's hair, "Trust me, no baby can be worse than you were."

"Hey!" Gordon exclaimed as Virgil laughed.

Scott smiled and Gordon shrugged them off, "Last to the lounge does the dishes!"

As he ran off, Scott looked to Virgil, "How can he be a Dad when he's still just a kid himself?"

Virgil chuckled as they walked, "I have no idea." He sighed, "Luck I guess."

Scott raised an eyebrow, instantly picking up on his brothers change in tone, "What is it?"

Virgil sighed as they paused at the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs down to the lounge. He leant against the wall and shook his head, "Kath wants another baby."

Scott winced and looked across to Virgil, "What have you said?"

Virgil shook his head again, "Nothing." He looked down with a shrug, "God, I don't know Scott. I never expected it to be so draining… just, emotionally."

"Hey," Scott snapped, slapping a hand on Virgil's shoulder, "If it's what you want Virg, we're all here to help."

Virgil forced a smile to Scott, putting on a brave face. He couldn't let the side down, couldn't let anyone see a broken Tracy, so tired and worn down by everything he saw. He couldn't let his son see in the day, or his brothers see at night. He couldn't bear to see his wife curled up in bed, insisting that he could do so much better than her.

Virgil didn't want anyone other than her. It didn't matter to him if it took a little more help to have kids. He wanted her and he wanted her happy, no matter how hard it was for him.

"Virg," Scott interrupted his thoughts, "We know, we saw what happened last time, to get Brad, you and Kath went through hell. She'll understand, but you have to talk to her, tell her how you feel."

Scott slipped his arm around his brother's shoulder squeezing tightly as he kissed the side off his head, "It's been a long couple of days Virg,"

"Yeah," Virgil sighed, "I just…"

"I know," Scott murmured, "Come and have one drink, then go to bed. Okay?"

Virgil smiled tiredly, "That sounds good."

Still rubbing his brother's shoulder, Scott lead Virgil down to the lounge, "At least you know what to expect of it if you did it again."

Virgil nodded, "Yeah, I guess so."

"I'll get you a drink," Scott smiled as he headed to the kitchen past the lounge.

Virgil smiled to Kathy as he lounged back on the sofa next to her, "Hey,"

Kathy curled into his side, "I'm sorry for springing that on you before, I should have-"

"It's fine," Virgil cut her off, "It was just a surprise. I mean, Brad's going to be four this year, I was just starting to think that you didn't want to go through it all again…" He trailed off as Kathy rubbed his leg, "I know, it came out of nowhere, and I'm not going to force you through it all again."

Virgil sighed and shrugged, looking up as he heard Scott come back, "Who knows, it might be easier this time, we know what to expect."

Kathy smiled, "Yeah, may-"

"International rescue, we have a situation."

Gordon groaned, "Can we not just have one night? One peaceful evening to ourselves."

"What's the problem, John?" Scott asked, setting down the two mugs he had bought up from the kitchen.

"There's been heavy rain over the Andes, leading to mudslides. Our assistance has been requested to help search for survivors." John relayed, "You'll need all hands on deck."

Scott nodded, looking to his family, "I'll fly ahead in Thunderbird One to survey the damage."

Virgil looked to his wife and younger brothers, "You guys can fly with me."

Penelope smiled to Jen, "If you'd like to go, I'll watch the kids."

Jenny smiled to Scott, "Looks like I'm riding shotgun." She glanced back to Penelope, mouthing her thanks as they headed to launch.

Looking over her shoulder, Penny gave Gordon a stern look the only warning she could give to get him to be careful. She sat back in the seat with a sigh as the caverns below the lounge began to rumble with the take off of the ships. It wouldn't be long before the children appeared in the lounge, asking questions about where their parents were off to.

She watched the flames of the boosters on both ships fade, sighing to herself as she heard three sets of footsteps resounding on the stairs.

"Aunty Penny!" Lucy exclaimed, "What happened?"

Penelope smiled and patted the space next to her on the sofa, "There's been a mudslide in South America is all."

Brad knelt down infront of the holoprojector, turning it back on and opening up the tracking signals. Luke was next to him, both talking animatedly about the machines as they followed the signals across the ocean. Penelope wrapped an arm around Lucy's little shoulders, running her fingers through her thick hair, "We're going to have to get you a room further away from the noise."

Luke looked up to his aunt, "That won't work Aunty Pen," He told her, "The noise of one and two at the same time can be heard everywhere!"

Penelope laughed, "It was a joke Luke," she reached forward and ruffled the young boys hair, "What are your parents going to say if they call and find you awake?"

Brad shrugged, "They woke us up."

Penelope looked up at the soft laugh from the other stairway coming up from the kitchen. Kayo walked into the lounge, curling up on the opposite sofa, "At least you're not above Thunderbird Two's hangar!"

"Dad said that you living up there was your idea, so you can't complain!" Lucy exclaimed.

Kayo smiled tiredly, even she couldn't deny that the little apartment - affectionately dubbed the Cliff House - had been one of her favourite surprises from her family. Scott was wrong though, it hadn't been her idea exactly. John had voiced the wish to be able to be home but to have somewhere away from the daily riot of the house, Kayo had just suggested an apartment away from the main villa. She glanced down to her belly with a sigh, not quite sure if she could have managed the last nine months with everyone else so close to her. Then again, she told herself, It probably would never have happened without the cliff house.

She blushed as the eyes of her partners portrait flashed to light, "What are you all doing up?"

Though the kids answered the question, she knew it was aimed at her. Pursing her lips she looked to Penelope, "Come on kids, to bed with you all."

The older woman stood, "Yes, it's far too late for you," She held her hand out to them, "If you come along I'll make sure that you get pancakes and waffles for breakfast."

That, of course, shifted the three children leaving Kayo to laugh.

Her laugh turned to a hiss as she rubbed her belly again. She looked up to John, "How quick did you say you could get down?"

The blue hue of the hologram seemed to pale a fraction, "Now?"

Looking up apologetically Kayo nodded, "Yeah, I guess Scott was right about the rubbish timing."

John managed a brief smile, "I'll be down as soon as I can, Eos can manage the rest of this mission." She saw his face soften as he watched her, "I'm on my way Tan, hang in there."

Kayo smiled softly, "FAB."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Mommy, they're back!" Lucy exclaimed.

Jenny laughed, catching her daughter before she could sprint down to the hangars, "Woah there Lucy. Give your aunt Kay chance to come in first."

Luke looked up from his book, "Why do you want to go and see them?" He pulled a face, "All babies do is cry a lot and smell."

Virgil smiled, stifling a laugh as Jenny pointed out, "You were a baby once too Luke."

Luke shrugged, looking back to his book, "Not now."

"At least they're living in the cliff house, huh?" Gordon grinned as he ruffled Luke's hair, "No more babies to wake us up!"

Lucy looked over to the stairs, grinning when she heard quiet chatting coming from the lower levels, "They're here!"

She scrambled out of her mother's arms, running to the stairs only to be scooped up by her father, "Where are you off to little madam?"

She peered over his shoulder, "I wanna see the baby!"

Scott laughed and kissed his daughter's cheek, "You didn't miss me then?"

Looking back to her father, Lucy smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight hug, "'Course I did Daddy!"

"I think all little girls miss their Daddies when they go away." A voice joined from the stairs, causing Lucy to struggle in her father's arms.

"Grandma!" The two boys sat on the sofa's jumped up and sprinted over from the sunken lounge.

Val laughed, crouching down to catch the closest things she had to grandchildren, in her arms. She squeezed them all tightly and ruffled the boys' hair, "Look how you've all grown!"

"I'm still the tallest!" Luke exclaimed with a grin.

"Only just!" Brad protested.

Lucy ignored the boys discussion and looked to her Grandmother seriously, "Did Aunty Kay have a boy or a girl?"

Val smiled as she stood up, taking the little girl's hand, "You'll have to wait and see. It isn't my news to share sweetheart."

Lucy frowned, not happy at the idea that she wasn't one of the first to know the gender of her youngest cousin. She was the eldest, and anything less than being the first to know anything important was a disappointment.

Lucy sighed and curled up on the sofa next to her mother, frowning as an ache made itself known at the back of her skull. Jenny wrapped an arm around her daughter, noticing the uncomfortable look on her face, "What's wrong sweetie?"

"Sore head," Lucy mumbled, hiding her face in her mother's shoulder.

Scott shared a frown with Jenny, mouthing to her, "Again?"

Jenny ran her fingers through Lucy's hair, "Do you want to go to bed sweetie?"

Lucy nodded, "Yeah."

In one smooth movement, Jenny scooped Lucy up into her arms and stood, "I'll be back in a minute."

Scott looked to the two boys, still chatting happily about their school work, "Boys, why don't you go and see if Kath needs any help in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, and if she doesn't how about a swim?" Gordon suggested, pushing himself up off of the floor.

"Yeah!" Both boys exclaimed, following their uncle down to the kitchen.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Virgil looked to Scott, "That's the third time this week she's had to go to bed because of a headache."

Scott nodded with a concerned face, "I hope she's not picked something up."

Val looked between them, "I doubt it's anything serious, kids their age pick up allsorts."

Scott sighed as he looked to his aunt, "I know, but-"

"He's back five minutes and already fretting," Kayo laughed from the hallway, "Listen to your aunt."

The small group all grinned, each getting up to greet the new parents and their new niece. Kayo smiled seemingly unable to take her eyes off of the baby girl. Only when she was sat down did she finally look to Scott again, "Don't worry about Lucy, it's probably nothing."

"You know what he's going to say," John pointed out as he sat back next to her after greeting his aunt, "That it's a father's prerogative to worry."

Scott smiled briefly, "I give it two weeks before you're saying the same thing."

Kayo shook her head, brushing her daughter's cheek before holding her out to John, "I'm going to see if Jenny needs anything for Lucy."

She hesitated in the doorway of the twins' room as Jenny reached out to flick off the lamp between the two beds. The mother stroked her daughter's hair before standing straight, she looked to Kayo and smiled softly as she slipped out of the room, "Her headaches again."

"Scott was saying," Kayo nodded, looking into the dark room, "I wish there was something I could do for her."

Jenny smiled briefly, "I keep forgetting you went through the same thing."

Kayo sighed and looked to the bed, "She'll be fine, it just takes time,"

Jenny shook her head, "Scott was right, I shouldn't have gone on that mission with you."

Kayo rolled her eyes as the pair of them began to walk back to the lounge, "You weren't to know that the Hood would do that," She shook her head, "I hadn't seen him use that trick in years."

Jenny looked into the lounge, "I'm going to have to tell them at some point."

"But first," Kayo smiled, "You've got to meet your new niece!"

Jenny smiled, "Finally, another girl!"

Kayo laughed softly, "She's going to be a little madam, has her father's looks."

"Including the hair?" Jenny teased with a laugh, "Gosh, I still can't believe Finn managed to get the red hair."

Kayo bit her lip with a smirk, "And he's still the only one."

Jenny shook her head, nudging Kayo with her elbow, "Are you sure there's not something suspicious going on?"

"Jen!" Kayo gasped with a smile, "Don't be ridiculous."

Both smiled as the stepped down into the sunken lounge, Kayo took the little girl from John's arms and held her out to Jenny.

The mother of the twins smiled and cooed softly to the little, dark haired girl, "Aren't you gorgeous?"

Scott looked up from where he was showing Luke plans for Thunderbird One, "She's going to get ideas, isn't she?"

The others laughed as Jenny rocked the baby gently, "Oh come on, you loved it too." She looked back to Kayo, "Have you picked a name?"

Luke looked up to his father in confusion, "Dad, what does Mom mean?"

Still smiling from his partners comment, Scott looked down to his son's confused face. He ruffled the boy's hair and squeezed his shoulders tightly, "Your mother thinks she wants another baby."

He laughed again at the face Luke pulled, exclaiming as he did, "Eww! I don't Dad!"

"Why not?" Scott smiled, "Too much hassle huh?"

Luke nodded as Brad called out from across the lounge, "And they smell!"

Somewhere over the discussion of the eldest two boys, Scott's ears tuned into the answer to Jenny's question, "Estelle," Kayo smiled, throwing a glance to John, "Or Ellie for short."

Scott caught his brother's eye, giving him a small nod and a smile of reassurance before his attention was diverted to his son's antics.

John smiled and stood up, squeezing Kayo's shoulder as he did, "I've gone to find Alan."

Kayo looked up to him, "Okay."

He pressed his lips to her hair before heading upstairs, knowing exactly where his youngest brother would be that night to watch the meteor shower.

It had been easy for the older brothers, the women they had fallen in love with had been close all along. John worried about Alan though, he hardly left the island at all apart from for rescues, and he wouldn't wish loneliness on anybody, least of all his own brother. He knew what it was like to be alone when everyone else had their common interests. The majority of his time at school was spent alone, wishing he had the confidence to be like his immediately older and younger brothers. Instead, he'd hidden away from the crowds and ignored the world at least until Kayo had come along. He smiled at the memory of how she'd appeared on the roof of their old home one night and how she'd asked him so many questions about the stars.

He glanced back to the family photo he had just passed with a smile, glad that someone had saved him from the loneliness. He'd sworn to himself that he would let Alan end up like he almost had, and even if that meant leaving the rest of his family to just sit and talk for one night, John couldn't have cared less.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Alan looked up as his older brother eased down next to him, steadily stretching out his long limbs on the smooth stone of the roof. His eyes quickly found their way back up to the meteor shower as John lay back next to him, "It's the perfect night for it."

Alan nodded slightly, "Yeah," He hesitated for a moment, "I thought you were going to miss it."

John frowned at his younger brother, hating that Alan thought he would put the rest of their family before his little brother. He looked to the stars and sighed, "You should know I wouldn't miss nights like this for the world."

"Not even for your kid?" Alan murmured.

John smiled to Alan, giving him a gentle nudge with his elbow, "You're my _kid_ brother. I'm always going to worry about you as much as Estelle."

Alan tutted and rolled his eyes, "Should'da known you'd go for a _star_ name."

John laughed softly, quick to defend himself, "It was Kay's idea."

Alan looked back up to the sky, still partly wondering what his brother was doing on the roof with _him_ , the new family loner. All his brothers had their own little families, then there was him.

"What are you doing out here?" Alan blurted.

"I just told you," John responded without missing a beat, "Wouldn't miss a meteor shower for the world."

Alan shrugged, "Yeah, but you could be down there, with your kid. Why are you up here?"

John smiled and shook his head, his little brother really didn't have a clue. He watched Alan with a smile as he replied, "Tonight is just the second of a thousand, I've got all the time in the world to be a Dad. I miss _this_ , I miss having you to talk to about the stars and about life." He smirked and shrugged, "And in all honesty, babies aren't the best at conversation."

Alan gave a short laugh at his comment, but John still wasn't convinced that his brother was sharing all his worries. For the first time ever, Alan hadn't been there to greet him on his arrival home. Alan had always avoided the questions that were always the same when his brothers had gotten another step ahead with their families, 'When are you going to think about settling down?' 'Don't you want a family?' 'How many kids do you think you'll have?'

John couldn't say he blamed him, those same questions had once daunted him. That was, until he had been out running with Kayo on the trails and had saved her from falling where the rain had washed the track away.

Then again, John sighed as he looked to Alan, Kayo was an entirely other matter. He didn't think he would ever forgive himself for what he had done to his little brother. The look in Alan's eye when he had gone running up to the space elevator, only to find him with Kayo, his first crush.

John sat up a little, leaning on his arm to look at Alan properly, "Are you still mad at me?"

"What?" Alan moved to sit up, "About you and Kayo? No way!" He looked down to the pool, "It was just a crush, I didn't really… if the two of you are happy then I'm happy for you."

John frowned as Alan rested his chin on his knees, "So why the whole avoidance of the 'Isn't it about thing you settled down' thing?"

Alan shrugged, "I dunno, it just never interested me really." He turned his head a fraction towards John, slowly coming around to the idea of talking, "I guess, I just never wanted to put someone else through what I've seen people go through."

John tilted his head to the side, "How'd you mean?"

Alan sighed, looking down to his sneakers, "I don't remember Mom, in any way. Sure, pictures show me what she looked like, you guys can tell me what she was like. It's not the same though John, I don't know my Mom and Dad lost her too soon."

He knew his brother wasn't following but continued anyway, it was better than shutting up, "I only ever had one parent, and even then it was hardly for long enough."

"You don't want a family in case something happened to you?" John interrupted, "Alan-"

"No!" Alan exclaimed, softening when he realised he was shouting, "Yes… kind of." He sighed and explained, "Yeah, I worry that I'll get all that and then I'll get so worried out on rescues that I have to come home to them, and that'll be what makes me screw up." He shrugged, "Besides, it's one helluva lot of responsibility."

John nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and I get that it's scary. That shouldn't stop you from being happy though."

Alan looked to his older brother, "Who says I'm not happy?"

"Your face when you see the rest of us," John smirked, ruffling Alan's hair.

Alan sighed and looked back out to the horizon, "I guess I've just not found the right person... yet."

John hid a smirk, "Sorry, what was that?"

"Not all of us have the right person right in front of us," Alan uttered.

"Well," John pondered out loud, "There _was_ that GDF guy you and Gordon pulled out of the river the other year. You know? The one that was meant to be on leave but was in the area anyway and offered to help."

He'd seen Alan tense up, knew that little brother knew exactly who he was talking about. John carried on anyway with a smile, "Perhaps you'll remember if I tell you this his shorts were _really_ low on his hips and when he pulled off that t-shirt," John low whistle, "He had a six pack to rival even Virgil's, and I don't think Gordon was the only one taking a good look."

"Damn straight," The devil himself commented, "Or not as the case may be."

Alan bit his lip as Virgil cuffed Gordon around his head, "Do you ever know when to just shut up?"

Alan looked to John, "I… it was …"

John laughed and slung his arm over Alan's shoulder, "You're our little brother, 'course we knew."

Alan looked up as someone ruffled his hair from his other side, "Even if Kayo knew first." Scott sighed, "We sussed it eventually."

The youngest looked between the two oldest, frowning as he pieced the pieces together, "Kayo knew?"

John groaned as Virgil sat down at his other side, "Had to bring her into it, didn't you?"

"Well she was the one to point out who it was that had never asked for a certain magazine," Gordon commented as he plopped down next to Scott.

Alan looked between his brothers, "So-"

"So," John cut Alan off, "Where have the girls got to?"

Gordon settled back against the stone of the roof, "Finn woke up, I took him back to bed but he was too giggly so Penny had to come and take over."

Virgil rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, "When she and Jen had put them all to bed they started baby talk with Kayo."

"So we came to find you two." Scott finished, "To discuss the week off we're all taking next month."

"What!?" Three of the four brothers exclaimed, each starting to immediately protest. All insisting that they couldn't possibly shut IR down so they could have a _holiday_ of all things.

"We're not shutting down." Scott told them with a roll of his eyes, "Aunt Val is going to talk to the GDF, they'll take a share. The girls are sure they can handle a week, with Aunt Val to help."

John nodded in agreement, "It'll do us some good, it's just a week."

"Well, if you're going to _make_ us go," Gordon sighed, not sounding at all upset that he was being forced to take a break, "I think we should go boating."

"Boating?" John groaned.

Gordon grinned, "Don't complain too quickly. What better place is there to stargaze than the middle of the ocean?"

"He has a point," Virgil agreed, "Remember doing that mini yacht race one summer?"

"That was awesome," Gordon nodded with a grin, "Can't we do that again?"

John shook his head, "It was enjoyable, but not exactly relaxing."

"We could still get a yacht," Alan suggested, "One of those huge luxury ones!"

Scott smiled, sharing a look with his middle brother, "Well, we might as well flaunt the playboy lifestyle once every now and again."

"Trust me," John sighed, "The press are still as much of a pain in the ass as they always were."

Virgil shrugged as he got up, holding a hand out to his older brother, "Well, we've been hidden away for long enough, I think it's time to give them something."

"Without a doubt," Scott smiled as he took Virgil's hand up, "And I think it's been far too long since we had some fun."


End file.
